Dino Ciccarelli (born February 8, 1960) is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice ...
player who played 19 seasons in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...
, primarily with the
Minnesota North Stars, but also notably with the
Detroit Red Wings, with whom he had his third-highest scoring season. He scored 1,200 points in his NHL career. His 608 career NHL goals are also the most goals scored by a draft-eligible player who was not drafted by an NHL team.
Ciccarelli was elected to the
Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010.
Playing career
Sarnia Bees
Ciccarelli grew up playing minor hockey in his hometown of
Sarnia,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, in the Southwestern Ontario Minor Hockey League of the
Ontario Minor Hockey Association. He made Sarnia's Jr. 'B' hockey team as a 15-year-old in the fall of 1975 and ended up leading it in scoring with 45 goals and 43 assists for 88 points in just 40 games. He is one of two Sarnia Jr. 'B' graduates to go on to be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame (the other being
Phil Esposito, who led the
Sarnia Legionnaires in scoring in 1961).
London Knights
Ciccarelli joined the
London Knights of the
OMJHL
In 1970, the Junior A level was divided into two more levels, Tier I (Major Junior A) and Tier II (Minor Junior A). In 1974, the "Major Junior A" division of the OHA became the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL) and began to operate indepe ...
as a 16-year-old for the
1976–77 season. In his first season with the Knights, Ciccarelli had 39 goals and 82 points in 66 games, finishing fifth in team scoring. In the playoffs, Ciccarelli had 11 goals and 24 points in 20 games, as London lost to the
Ottawa 67's in the
J. Ross Robertson Cup finals.
In his second season with the Knights in
1977–78, Ciccarelli scored a league high 72 goals, and added 70 assists for 142 points, which was third highest total in the OMJHL. In the post-season, Ciccarelli contributed six goals and 16 points in nine games. After the season, Ciccarelli was awarded the
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy
The Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League since 1972, to the right winger who scores the most points in the regular season. The Peterborough Petes donated the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy in his memory to the to ...
, which is given to the highest scoring right winger in the OMJHL.
Injuries cut short Ciccarelli's
1978–79 season, as he appeared in only 30 games, scoring eight goals and 19 points. In seven playoff games, Ciccarelli scored three goals and eight points. After not being selected in the
NHL Entry Draft, Ciccarelli signed a contract with the
Minnesota North Stars on September 28, 1979.
The North Stars kept Ciccarelli with the Knights for the
1979–80, and Ciccarelli rebounded, scoring 50 goals and 103 points. In five games in the playoffs, Ciccarelli scored two goals, and finished with eight points.
Minnesota North Stars
Ciccarelli made his professional hockey debut with the
Oklahoma City Stars
The Oklahoma City Stars are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma City University, located in Oklahoma City, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAI ...
of the
CHL at the end of the 1979–80 season. In six games with Oklahoma City, Ciccarelli had three goals and five points.
He spent most of the 1980–81 season with Oklahoma City, playing in 48 games, scoring 32 goals and 57 points. Ciccarelli was brought up to the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...
, and in 32 games with the
Minnesota North Stars, Ciccarelli had 18 goals and 30 points. In the playoffs, Ciccarelli scored 14 goals and 21 points in 19 games, as the North Stars lost to the
New York Islanders in the
1981 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1981 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1980–81 season, and the culmination of the 1981 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested by the Minnesota North Stars, making their first Finals appea ...
.
Ciccarelli spent the entire
1981–82 NHL season with the North Stars, playing in 76 games, scoring a team high 55 goals, while earning 106 points for the season. During the season, Ciccarelli played in the
1982 NHL All-Star Game, hosted by the
Washington Capitals, with the
Campbell Conference Campbell may refer to:
People Surname
* Campbell (surname), includes a list of people with surname Campbell
Given name
* Campbell Brown (footballer), an Australian rules footballer
* Campbell Brown (journalist) (born 1968), American television ne ...
, where he assisted on a goal by
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
in a 4–2 loss to the
Wales Conference
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population i ...
. In the playoffs, Ciccarelli had three goals and four points in four games.
He saw a decrease in offensive production during the
1982–83 season, scoring 37 goals and 75 points in 77 games, which was 18 fewer goals and 31 fewer points than the previous season. Ciccarelli did appear in the
1983 NHL All-Star Game
The 35th National Hockey League All-Star Game was held on February 8, 1983, at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, home to the New York Islanders. In the game, Edmonton Oilers' centre Wayne Gretzky set an All-Star Gam ...
, hosted by the
New York Islanders. Ciccarelli had a goal and an assist as the
Campbell Conference Campbell may refer to:
People Surname
* Campbell (surname), includes a list of people with surname Campbell
Given name
* Campbell Brown (footballer), an Australian rules footballer
* Campbell Brown (journalist) (born 1968), American television ne ...
defeated the
Wales Conference
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population i ...
9–3. In the post-season, Ciccarelli appeared in nine games, scoring four goals and 10 points.
Ciccarelli had another solid season with Minnesota in
1983–84, scoring 38 goals and 71 points in 79 games, helping the North Stars into the playoffs once again. In 16 playoff games, Ciccarelli had four goals and nine points, as the North Stars lost to the
Edmonton Oilers in the
Campbell Conference Campbell may refer to:
People Surname
* Campbell (surname), includes a list of people with surname Campbell
Given name
* Campbell Brown (footballer), an Australian rules footballer
* Campbell Brown (journalist) (born 1968), American television ne ...
finals.
Injuries cut short Ciccarelli's season in
1984–85, playing in only 51 games, Ciccarelli scored 15 goals and 32 points, his lowest point total since his rookie season in 1980–81, and the lowest goal total of his NHL career. In nine playoff games, Ciccarelli had three goals and six points.
Ciccarelli had a healthy
1985–86 season, playing in 75 games, he led the North Stars with 44 goals, while finishing second in points with 89, which were his highest totals since 1981–82. In five playoff games, Ciccarelli was held to an assist.
In
1986–87, Ciccarelli improved his offensive numbers once again, scoring 52 goals and 103 points in 80 games, which both led the club in scoring. The North Stars struggled during the season, and failed to qualify for the post season.
Ciccarelli had his third straight 40+ goal season in
1987–88, as he once again led Minnesota with 41 goals and 86 points in 67 games. It was another tough season for the team though, as they missed the playoffs for the second straight season.
In
1988–89, Ciccarelli made his first all-star game appearance in six years, as he played with the
Campbell Conference Campbell may refer to:
People Surname
* Campbell (surname), includes a list of people with surname Campbell
Given name
* Campbell Brown (footballer), an Australian rules footballer
* Campbell Brown (journalist) (born 1968), American television ne ...
in the
1989 NHL All-Star Game
The 40th National Hockey League All-Star Game was held at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, home to the Edmonton Oilers, on February 7, 1989.
The return of Wayne Gretzky
The previous year saw the then-unthinkable trade of Wayne Gretzky to the Lo ...
held in
Edmonton
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city an ...
,
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest T ...
. In the game, Ciccarelli assisted on a goal by
Steve Yzerman
Stephen Gregory Yzerman (; born May 9, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player currently serving as executive vice president and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, with whom he spent all 22 seasons of his NHL playing ...
, as the
Campbell Conference Campbell may refer to:
People Surname
* Campbell (surname), includes a list of people with surname Campbell
Given name
* Campbell Brown (footballer), an Australian rules footballer
* Campbell Brown (journalist) (born 1968), American television ne ...
won the game over the
Wales Conference
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population i ...
by a score of 9–5. Overall with Minnesota, Ciccarelli played in 65 games, scoring 32 goals and 59 points. On March 7, 1989, the North Stars traded Ciccarelli and
Bob Rouse
Robert John Rouse (born June 18, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, winning in back to back years with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998.
Playing career
A prototypical stay-a ...
to the
Washington Capitals for
Mike Gartner and
Larry Murphy.
Washington Capitals
Ciccarelli finished the
1988–89 season with the
Washington Capitals, playing just 11 games, Ciccarelli scored 12 goals and 15 points, helping the team into the playoffs. He played his first game as a Capital on March 8, 1989, getting no points in a 3–2 loss to the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
. He scored his first goal with Washington on March 11, 1989, scoring against
John Vanbiesbrouck in a 4–2 win over the
New York Rangers. On March 18, 1989, Ciccarelli had a four-goal, seven point game in a huge 8–2 victory over the
Hartford Whalers. Ciccarelli appeared in his first playoff game with the Capitals on April 5, 1989, getting no points in a 3–2 win over the
Philadelphia Flyers. He scored his first playoff goal with Washington on April 6, 1989, scoring against
Ron Hextall in a 3–2 loss. Ciccarelli played in six games, scoring three goals and six points as the Capitals were eliminated by the Flyers.
In Ciccarelli's first full season with the Capitals, he scored 41 goals in
1989–90, which marked his fifth consecutive season of 40+ goals, while finishing with a team high 79 points. Ciccarelli had a four-goal game against the
Quebec Nordiques on February 6, 1990 in a 12–2 victory. In the playoffs, Ciccarelli had eight goals and 11 points in eight games before suffering an injury on April 21, 1990 against the
New York Rangers that would end his season. Ciccarelli had a hat trick in the playoffs, scoring three goals and an assist against the
New Jersey Devils in a 5–4 overtime win on April 5, 1990.
Ciccarelli missed 26 games during the
1990–91, in which he scored 21 goals and 39 points, his lowest totals since 1984–85. He did score a hat trick against the
Edmonton Oilers on February 8, 1991 in a 6–3 win. Ciccarelli was productive in the playoffs, scoring five goals and nine points in 11 games.
He rebounded in the
1991–92, as Ciccarelli scored 38 goals, which was a team high, while earning 76 points, helping the Capitals into the playoffs once again. In the playoffs, Ciccarelli had a four-goal game on April 25, 1992, as Washington defeated the
Pittsburgh Penguins 7–2. In seven games, he scored five goals and nine points. On June 20, 1992, Ciccarelli was traded from the Capitals to the
Detroit Red Wings for
Kevin Miller.
Detroit Red Wings
Ciccarelli made his debut with the
Detroit Red Wings on October 6, 1992, getting no points in a 4–1 loss to the
Winnipeg Jets. On October 8, 1992, Ciccarelli earned his first goal as a Red Wing, scoring against
Kelly Hrudey of the
Los Angeles Kings in a 5–3 victory. Ciccarelli finished his first season with Detroit with 41 goals and 97 points, which were both the second highest totals on the team. Ciccarelli's 97 points were his highest since 1986–87, when he recorded 103 with the
Minnesota North Stars. Ciccarelli played his first Playoff game with the Red Wings on April 19, 1993, earning an assist in a 6–3 win over the
Toronto Maple Leafs. Ciccarelli scored his first playoff goal as a member of the Red Wings on April 27, 1993 against
Felix Potvin
Felix may refer to:
* Felix (name), people and fictional characters with the name
Places
* Arabia Felix is the ancient Latin name of Yemen
* Felix, Spain, a municipality of the province Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, ...
in a 5–4 loss to the Maple Leafs. On April 29, 1993, Ciccarelli had a hat trick for the Red Wings in a 7–3 win over Toronto. Overall, Ciccarelli appeared in seven playoff games, scoring four goals and six points.
Ciccarelli saw his point total decline by 40 in the
1993–94 season, as he scored 28 goals and 57 points in 66 games. He did have a six-point game against the
Vancouver Canucks on April 5, 1994, scoring four goals and adding two assists in an 8–3 victory. In the post-season, Ciccarelli had five goals and seven points in seven games.
With a shortened
1994–95 due to the
lockout, Ciccarelli appeared in 42 games, scoring 16 goals and 43 points, which placed him third in team scoring. Ciccarelli had a four assist game against the
Winnipeg Jets on March 22, 1995 in a 6–3 win. In the playoffs, Ciccarelli had a hat trick against the
Dallas Stars on May 11, 1995 in a 5–1 victory. He finished the playoffs with nine goals and 11 points in 16 games, as the Red Wings lost to the
New Jersey Devils in the
1995 Stanley Cup Finals.
In
1995–96, Ciccarelli scored 22 goals and 43 points in 64 games, helping the Red Wings set an NHL record for wins in a season with 62. In the post-season, Ciccarelli had six goals and eight points in 17 games. In game six of the 1996 Western Conference Finals,
Claude Lemieux laid a vicious hit on
Kris Draper. The Red Wings lost to the Avalanche in six games and Lemieux was given suspensions in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals. When interviewed after the game, Ciccarelli reacted and coldly stated, "I can't believe I shook this guy's friggin' hand after the game! That pisses me right off!".
On August 27, 1996, the Red Wings traded Ciccarelli to the
Tampa Bay Lightning for a fourth-round draft pick in the
1998 NHL Entry Draft
The 1998 NHL Entry Draft was the 36th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 27 at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York. A total of 258 players were drafted.
The last active players in the NHL from this draft class were Brian Gionta, Mi ...
.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Ciccarelli played his first game as a member of the
Tampa Bay Lightning on October 5, 1996, getting a goal and two points in a 4–3 win over the
Pittsburgh Penguins. On November 8, 1996, Ciccarelli had a hat trick against the
Pittsburgh Penguins in a 5–5 tie. Ciccarelli played in the
1997 NHL All-Star Game
The 1997 National Hockey League All-Star Game took place on January 18, 1997, at San Jose Arena in San Jose, home of the San Jose Sharks. The final score was Eastern Conference 11, Western Conference 7. This game was originally scheduled for t ...
held in
San Jose, California, where he had an assist for the
Eastern Conference in an 11–7 win over the
Western Conference. He finished the
1996–97 season playing in 77 games, scoring a team high 35 goals, while earning 60 points. Notably, he scored the final goal in the last game that the
Hartford Whalers played in on April 13, 1997, scoring the only goal for the Lightning in a 2–1 loss.
He began the
1997–98 season with the Lightning; he played in 34 games with Tampa Bay, scoring 11 goals and 17 points. On January 15, 1998, the Lightning traded Ciccarelli and
Jeff Norton to the
Florida Panthers for
Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick (born November 13, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He moved to Kitimat, British Columbia, where he started minor hockey, when he was ten years old. He won the Memorial Cup twice as a member of the ...
and
Jody Hull.
Florida Panthers
Ciccarelli played his first game with the
Florida Panthers on January 21, 1998. He scored his first goal with Florida on January 24, 1998 against
Kelly Hrudey of the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertain ...
in a 1–1 tie. He finished the season with five goals and 16 points in 28 games with the Panthers.
Ciccarelli had an injury plagued
1998–99 season, as he missed the majority of the season after suffering a back injury against the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Divisio ...
on November 4, 1998. He played in only 14 games, scoring six goals and seven points. On August 31, 1999, Ciccarelli announced his retirement.
International career
Ciccarelli played with
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
at various international events during his career. At the
1980 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships held in
Helsinki,
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...
, Ciccarelli had five goals and six points in five games, as Canada finished in fifth place. At the
1982 IIHF World Hockey Championship held in
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...
, Ciccarelli had two goals and three points in nine games, as the Canadians won the
Bronze Medal. Ciccarelli also played in the
1987 IIHF World Hockey Championship in
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, getting four goals and six points in 10 games as Canada finished in fourth place.
Controversy
Ciccarelli's career featured some controversial moments, both on and off the ice. In 1987, he pleaded guilty to indecent exposure and received probation.
Then on January 6, 1988, in a game played at Maple Leaf Gardens, Ciccarelli attacked then-Maple Leafs rookie defenceman
Luke Richardson with his stick. As a result of this incident, Ciccarelli was convicted of assault, fined $1,000, and sentenced to one day in jail.
In May 1990, while playing for the Capitals, Ciccarelli was accused of raping a 17-year-old girl outside a bar, alongside teammates
Geoff Courtnall,
Scott Stevens, and
Neil Sheehy
Neil Kane Sheehy (born February 9, 1960) is a Canadian-born American professional ice hockey player with dual citizenship. He grew up in International Falls, Minnesota.
A defenceman and Harvard University graduate, Sheehy signed as a free agent ...
. The court case fell apart, though a spokesperson for the Metropolitan police at the time stated that the police “have sufficient grounds to believe that a criminal offense did occur.”
Hall of Fame
Ciccarelli was inducted into the
Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010, eight years after he first became eligible. Press reports speculated that his criminal activity was the reason it took him years to gain entrance.
[Ciccarelli, Granato, James to Hockey Hall](_blank)
NHL.com, June 22, 2010
His junior team, the
London Knights, retired Ciccarelli's number 8.
Ciccarelli owned the nightclub Club 22 in
Shelby Charter Township, named for the jersey number he wore with the Capitals, Red Wings, Lightning and Panthers. It was closed in 2011. Shortly after closing, Ciccarelli opened a sports bar in the same location. The name of the establishment is Ciccarelli's Sports Bar Theater, named after the "theater" style atmosphere.
He has since opened two additional sports bars, one across from the
Palace of Auburn Hills; and the other at the site of the former Post Bar in downtown Detroit, near
Cobo Center
Huntington Place (formerly known as Cobo Hall, Cobo Center, and briefly as TCF Center) is a convention center in Downtown Detroit, owned by the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority (DRCFA) and operated by ASM Global. Located at 1 Wash ...
. The Detroit location is only open for Red Wings home games and other special events.
Awards and achievements
*
OMJHL
In 1970, the Junior A level was divided into two more levels, Tier I (Major Junior A) and Tier II (Minor Junior A). In 1974, the "Major Junior A" division of the OHA became the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL) and began to operate indepe ...
Second All-Star Team (
1978)
*
NHL All-Star Game (
1982,
1983,
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
,
1997)
* World Ice Hockey Championships bronze medalist
1982
NHL records
*Most Points by a rookie, One playoff season (21) "1981 Playoffs"
*Most Goals by a rookie, One playoff season (14) "1981 Playoffs"
*Fastest Player to Score 20 Goals (15 Games) "1986–87 Regular Season" – 11/11/1986
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
See also
*
List of NHL statistical leaders
*
List of NHL players with 1000 points
The List of National Hockey League (NHL) players with 1,000 points is a list of the individual players who have scored at least 1,000 regular season points during their career in the NHL. A point in the NHL is awarded to a player for scoring a g ...
*
List of NHL players with 500 goals
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ciccarelli, Dino
1960 births
Living people
Canadian ice hockey right wingers
Canadian people of Italian descent
Detroit Red Wings players
Florida Panthers players
Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
Ice hockey people from Ontario
London Knights players
Minnesota North Stars players
National Hockey League All-Stars
Sportspeople convicted of crimes
Sportspeople from Sarnia
Tampa Bay Lightning players
Undrafted National Hockey League players
Violence in sports
Washington Capitals players